Iconic private club Soho House has launched a new Mexican restaurant Čálli at its Chicago location in West Loop, making it the third eatery on the scene that is open to the public. Čálli replaces a previous restaurant popup Entre Sueños x Soho Chance in the upstairs southeast space of Soho House Chicago.
The name behind the new concept is the Nahuatl word for “house,” which describes the space for its warm earthy tones and its family-style dining approach of shared plates. While hominess is a major theme of Čálli, the interior also embodies a romantic feel, boasting dim lighting, intimate seating, and a glass votive at each table.
Soho House Chicago Čálli Interior
Courtesy of @angel_ashlea
Leading the restaurant is Chicago native Chef Jonathan Zaragoza, who is a James Beard award semifinalist and StarChefs Rising Star. Chef Zaragoza has brought a decadent, colorful menu to Čálli, combining inspiration from South America with local ingredients.
Chef Jonathan Zaragoza has created a colorful, zesty menu at Čálli used on inspiration from Mexican culture. | Courtesy of Wade Hall.
Short but mighty, the dinner-only menu consists of botanas (snacks), entradas (starters), fuertes (mains), and postres (desserts). To drink, Čálli offers an innovative specialty menu with cocktails like the Mole Old Fashioned and Mezcal-based Jadé.
Čálli overlooks The Allis Bar, which is also open to the public at Soho House Chicago. | Courtesy of @angel_ashlea
Chicago Star Dives into Čálli
Upon our visit to the new eatery at Soho House Chicago, Chicago Star tried out highlights from the menu, which proved to be zesty and inventive. We started with drinks and botanas, pairing a refreshing Aperol Spritz cocktail with oysters. The latter has a light yet tasty kick as they’re made with xni pec mignonette, lime, and tatemado.
The Camote Japonés is a starter dish with crispy Japanese sweet potato, jocoque, smoked trout roe, and mizuna. | Courtesy of Wade Hall
From the entradas, we sampled the mouthwatering Leche de Tigre ceviche, a slightly spicy dish packed with flavor. This gluten-free ceviche consists of fluke, citrus habanero broth, red onion, quicos, sweet potato, and a side of fried saltines.
For our main course, we tried the Pescado Zarandeado, made with charcoal market fish. This tangy succulent dish comes with herb salad, salsa cruda, and tortilla de harina to make wraps. Lastly, we ordered the Pineapple Upside Down Cake for dessert, which includes yogurt, vanilla gelato, and passion fruit sauce. This vegetarian dish was as gorgeous as it was delicious and is light enough to end a meal with.
Soho House Chicago Čálli Menu
The Leche de Tigre is a starter dish made with fluke fish and habanero broth. | Courtesy of @angel_ashlea
Diners wanting to experience the unmatched vibes and flavors of Čálli and the chic vibes of Soho House Chicago can make a reservation online. Čálli’s dinner-only menu runs Wednesday through Saturday from 5-11 p.m., and Sunday is open for lunch from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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